Most of the town had been sucked into Raziel’s church, but there were still a few witches dancing and mingling in the club.
Now that Gabe was gone, I needed to find a replacement.
No one canreplace Gabriel.
I knew it in my bones, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t going to try.
In time, I was sure I could fuck him out of my system. If I put enough bodies between us, maybe I would eventually be able to move on from the gaping hole I’d put in my own heart when I’d left him.
The issue was I’d already had several opportunities to secure a conquest, but every time I made a move to seal the deal, Gabe’s hurt expression swam across my vision.
The way he’d looked at me when I’d pushed him away that night and kissed that nobody-witch weighed on me.
It didn’t matter. He was gone. I couldn’t betray someone I wasn’t actually with…
But it was a fruitless endeavor just the same. I couldn’t seem to make myself follow through, no matter how many fuckhot dudes and pretty women approached me.
I was just about to gather up the resolve to try again when a warm body sidled up next to mine.
“Barkeep! Give me a dirty fucking martini! Make itfilthy,like my mouth.”
I turned to find Hecate leaning on the bar next to me, grinning at the pretty witch manning this end of the bar.
The witch beamed at her as she went to make her drink. Hec turned around and leaned her elbows back on the bar, crossing her boot-clad legs out in front of her.
“What’s up, my little hellcat?” she chirped happily, and I scowled at her.
“Nothing. Came here to be alone,” I said pointedly, and she snorted.
“Who comes to aclubto bealone?Ever hear of a library?”
“Fuck off, Hec. I’m not in the mood.”
She sobered slightly as the bartender put her drink on the bar behind her. She twisted around to snatch it up, taking a sip before pinning me with an annoyingly knowing look.
“Cut the crap, Hazai. I know why you’re here. You’re hiding and trying to push Gabe away. How many of these witches have you fucked?”
I narrowed my eyes on her.
“Not that it’sanyof your business… But… none of them…Yet.”
She raised her eyebrows in surprise, then smirked, taking another sip of her drink.
“Well, that’s promising.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“Itmeansthat ifyou haven’thooked up with anyone yet, then there’s still hope that you won’t royally fuck up the best thing to ever happen to you.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I always know what I’m talking about. It’s a witch thing.”
“You’re insufferable.”
“And you’re a pussy, but I guess we knew that already.Meow.”She made a scratching motion, and I rolled my eyes.
“I’m leaving.”
